In a significant crackdown on organized crime, nine suspects were arrested in Curitiba and Fazenda Rio Grande, including a 69-year-old woman believed to be the ringleader of a drug trafficking and money laundering syndicate. This operation, conducted by the Civil Police of Paraná (PC-PR), took place on Tuesday, with law enforcement executing around 30 judicial orders which included 22 search and seizure warrants and eight arrest warrants. The police also confirmed that one individual was caught in the act of a crime during the operation.

The criminal group was primarily operating in the Gralha Azul neighborhood of Fazenda Rio Grande and is suspected of involvement in at least five homicides in the area. According to Delegate Paulo Ribeiro, the organization was well-established within the community and not only engaged in drug trafficking but also had credible links to orchestrating past murders in the city. The extent of their criminal activities has raised serious concerns about public safety and the pervasive influence of organized crime in the region.

This operation represents a critical effort by law enforcement to dismantle organized crime networks that pose threats to community safety. By targeting key figures within these groups, authorities aim to disrupt drug-related activities and reduce violent crime in the metropolitan area. The involvement of an elderly woman in leading such operations challenges stereotypes about the profiles of those involved in organized crime and highlights the diversity of individuals engaged in these illicit activities, prompting further investigation into the demographics of such criminal organizations.